The Golden State Warriors have some decisions to make in the negotiation deadline. As time passes at the peak of Stephen Curry, the Warriors will eventually have to commit to going all-in to try to win another championship or stand firm with their younger assets to try to ensure a smooth transition for the next generation. It is unlikely that they will negotiate overall number 2 choice, James Wiseman, or Minnesota’s 2021 first round choice, but according to Bob Myers, the Warriors plan to be aggressive in improving on time.
“It’s a balance between what makes sense now, but it doesn’t hurt us in the future,” Myers said on Wednesday at 95.7 on The Game’s “Steiny, Guru & Dibs” program, via the NBC Sports Bay Area. “What can we do that can be beneficial this year and next year.
“We will be aggressive. Let’s take a look. There were years when we had the best album and we were very quiet in the switchover period. We didn’t do a lot or made a lot of calls. I think we will be more open to making and listening to calls than we are.”
The key question involved in any Warriors trade deal will be whether Wiseman and the Minnesota choice are available. If so, the Warriors have ammunition to trade with just about any player on the market. If no? The Golden State is probably buying at the bargain box. Complicating matters further is the volatility of such young assets. Wiseman’s value will fluctuate depending on your game advancing. Although he revealed potential as a rookie, his overall performance probably makes him less valuable than when he was selected by the Warriors. This is true for most draft choices, as teams prefer to choose their own players rather than accepting who is selected by another team.
Minnesota’s choice is even more complicated. At the moment, the Timberwolves have the worst NBA record. In theory, this makes the choice less valuable than it would be if the wolves were a little better. Why? Because the choice is among the first three protected. If Minnesota has the worst league history, that choice cannot go below No. 5. It is the best high-risk, high-reward asset. If Minnesota does not pass on the choice this season, it will be unprotected the next. That doesn’t make it any more valuable, however, as Minnesota starts from scratch with another potential customer to try to improve. If the Timberwolves remain healthy with the best choice next season, playing for a place in the playoffs is not out of the question.
This puts pressure on the Warriors to make a decision on these assets now. They may never have a better opportunity to turn them into proven talents than they currently have. The way Myers balances that fact with Golden State’s well-known desire to remain competitive after Curry’s move and his generation will define his success or failure in the long run.